1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a console assembly incorporating a video entertainment system for a vehicle.
2. Background Art
Many automotive vehicles include a center console or other storage device disposed between the driver and passenger seats in the front passenger compartment of the vehicle. These consoles typically comprise a console base either secured to the floor or pivotally connected between the seats, a storage cavity formed in the console base to retain items during travel and an armrest pivotally connected to the console base extending generally horizontally across the storage cavity.
In recent years, vehicle manufacturers as well as aftermarket suppliers have answered consumer demand for entertainment systems in vehicles. These audio/video systems are designed to provide entertainment for passengers in the rear seating areas of the vehicle. One type of vehicle video entertainment system comprises a portable video player secured to the headrests of the driver and passenger seats to hang between the seats adjacent an existing vehicle floor console. This type of video player clutters the passenger compartment area and cannot be easily adjusted by the passengers to a variety of viewing positions.
Another type of video entertainment system comprises a center console secured to the floor between the front seats of a vehicle having a fixed video monitor disposed within the storage area of the console. The monitor is viewable by passengers in the rear seating area through a passage formed in the rear of the floor console. This video monitor arrangement dramatically reduces the amount of storage area available in the floor console.
Most video entertainment systems deployed in the passenger compartments of vehicles do not include freely positionable video monitor screens. Video monitors are susceptible to undesired glare from sunlight entering through the windows of the vehicle, which can obstruct a passenger""s view of the video monitor. Additionally, a fixed monitor position may cause passengers to suffer from xe2x80x9cmotionxe2x80x9d sickness generated by the improper sight lines of the monitor.
It is desirable to provide a vehicle console assembly incorporating a video entertainment system which increases the storage area of the console. It is also desirable to provide a video entertainment system having a monitor mounting arrangement which can be adjusted to a variety of viewing positions to accommodate various sight lines of passengers in the vehicle.
The present invention addresses the above-reference problems associated with prior vehicle console assemblies by providing a console assembly for a vehicle incorporating a video entertainment system. In one embodiment of the invention, the console assembly is disposed between a pair of passenger seats and is securable to a vehicle floor. In another embodiment of the invention, the console assembly is incorporated in a center seat having a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom disposed between a pair of passenger seats.
The console assembly includes a console housing having a storage compartment formed therein. A storage compartment closeout section is pivotally connected to the console housing and is positionable between a closed position wherein the closeout section is at least partially disposed adjacent the storage compartment and an open position.
An armrest is pivotally connected to the closeout section and is positionable between a closed position disposed adjacent the closeout section and an open position allowing access to a video monitor disposed within a cavity in the closeout section. The video monitor is pivotally connected to the closeout section by a video monitor mount. The video monitor mount includes a lower portion pivotally secured to the closeout section and an upper portion receiving the video monitor. The video monitor mount is positionable between a stored position, wherein the video monitor is disposed in the closeout section, and a deployed position, wherein the monitor is pivoted upward to a deployed position so that the video monitor is visible to rear seat occupants in a vehicle.
The above objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.